Have any of you noticed how many different terms there are to describe relationships today? HCX are not sure if it’s just us, but all these new terms can be pretty confusing and land you in some awkward situations if you are not aware of them. So we thought it was about time we put together a comprehensive guide of the different terms in order to clear up any of the confusion. From F.B.O to FWB, Her Campus has it covered, so if you are as confused as we are, feast your eyes over the rest of this article.
Seeing Someone– verb
This refers to the transition stage in a relationship from friends who occasionally hook up to boyfriend and girlfriend. If you are seeing someone, you are not in a full blown relationship but you are certainly more than friends. This stage in a relationship can therefore be seen as an experiment for a potential future relationship without all the commitment that is attached to a proper relationship.
Example of use: Ben is seeing Isla.
Casual Relationship– noun
This type of relationship is similar to “seeing someone.” If you are in a casual relationship, you can officially call the boy your BF but you aren’t necessarily taking him home to visit your nearest and dearest.
Example of use: Ben and Isla are in a casual relationship.
Exclusive– noun/adjective
This can be used to describe a couple that are openly in a relationship. If you declare yourself exclusive with the boy that you are seeing, you are officially announcing your relationship to the world. At this stage you are also officially allowed to refer to him as your boyfriend.
Example of use: Ben and I are now exclusive
F.B.O– noun, abbreviation
This is a fun abbreviation for Facebook Official. If a couple are F.B.O it is generally an indicator that they are in a relationship. However, be wary Facebook relationships can be misleading. More often than not they are normally joke relationships between close friends so make sure you use your detective skills to decide whether this is a true relationship after all.
Example of use: Hey look, Ben and Isla are now F.B.O.
F.W.B– noun, abbreviation
This is an abbreviation for the increasingly popular term Friends with Benefits. This term is usually used to describe people who have no romantic feelings for one another, but enjoy a cheeky frolic every now and again. Think Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunes in the aptly named film “Friends with Benefits” or Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman in the film “No Strings Attached” and you’ll have it sussed.
Example of use: Ben and Isla are not going out, they are totally F.W.B
Hooking up– verb
You are considered hooking up with someone if you repeatedly end up in the arms of the same guy each time you go out. At this stage, you probably haven’t admitted that you like one another, but let’s just say to outsiders that you are both smitten for one another.
Example of use: Ben and Isla are just hooking up
Open Relationship– noun
This refers to those who are in a committed relationship but have agreed it is okay to experiment with other people, so long as you tell one another.
Example of use: Ben and Isla are in an open relationship.
Serious Relationship– noun
This is the opposite of a casual relationship. It is a term that normally applies to couples that have been going out with one another for more than a year. Look out for next week’s article when HCX explores in further detail what makes a serious relationship.
Example of use: Ben and Isla are now in a serious relationship.
As you have probably realised many of these terms basically mean the same thing but the subtle differences between them apparently make all of the difference. Life would be so much easier if we just kept to the traditional terms of “single” and “in a relationship”. However that is not the case, but if you ever find yourself in confusion again, head to this list! If you have any other weird and wonderful terms to add let us know!
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